Navigating the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can be daunting. It’s a complicated system and there’s an over-saturation of online resources, with a lot of contradictory information and opinions. And this creates yet another barrier for people with disability to overcome before receiving support who just want to know what the NDIS covers. So, let’s demystify the NDIS and explain what this scheme actually covers.
What is the NDIS?
The NDIS was a major reform to the Australian disability system, a scheme that intended to empower and assist anyone who was born with or who has acquired a disability at some stage of their life. The scheme provides funding to eligible people with disability, aiming to help them ‘gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering in their community, and an improved quality of life’.
However, many people have reported feeling as though the system was hard to understand, with no clear direction for accessing services or understanding NDIS funding. And this confusion is even more relevant now, as the government passes the most significant reforms to the scheme since it began in 2013.
What do the 2024 NDIS reforms mean?
As of August 2024, the Senate has passed the ‘Getting the NDIS Back on Track’ bill, which was created to reduce the costs of the scheme. With nearly 100 amendments, the new law changes how participants receive plan budgets and gives the head of the agency the ability to prevent top-up payments. There will also be a list that outlines the items and supports that participants can and cannot access (basically, what the NDIS covers) — but it’s still under consultation. The government has stated that finalising this process involves working with people with disability and the sector to refine NDIS funding and ‘what support needs assessments for NDIS participants look like’.
In response to this news, the president of People with Disability Australia, Marayke Jonkers, has said, “We are deeply disappointed with the outcome…We are concerned people will lose access to support before these new foundational supports are trialled, tested or even designed.”
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has also shared concerns that, “This legislation has passed and there is no certainty over what will and won’t be provided through the NDIS.”
As the disability community waits to hear the details of the list, we can still explain the current eligibility requirements and inclusions of the NDIS and what NDIS covers. And once the details of the new law are confirmed, we will create an updated overview for you.
What does the NDIS cover?
What disabilities does the NDIS cover?
The NDIS supports people with intellectual, physical, neurological, sensory, cognitive, and psychosocial disability—regardless of whether the disability arose from birth or due to disease or injury. People with disability who are covered by the scheme are supported under the condition that the disability is permanent, and support is expected to be lifelong.
What support services are covered?
Systems of support that are covered by NDIS funding aim to improve daily quality of life for people with disability.
These services include:
- Daily activity assistance, including household tasks and maintenance
- Transportation to assist participation in community, social, or daily activities
- Employment assistance
- Therapeutic and behavioural assistance
- Nutrition support, e.g. meal plans and preparation
- Home and living adjustment, including design and construction to improve impairment assistance
- Adjustment of equipment and technology, including vehicles and equipment, to assist mobility
- Relationship training
- Learning and educational activities
- Assistance with decision making
What are the support service eligibility requirements?
For a service to fall under the NDIS, it must:
- Be related to the impairments imposed by an individual’s disability
- Represent value for money
- Be effective in assisting the individual with their needs
- Consider existing support being received by the individual through other providers or care channels, such as family members and carers
What support services are not covered by the NDIS?
The NDIS is unable to provide support that:
- Is the responsibility of a separate community or government system
- Is unrelated to the disability of the individual
- Involves daily costs that are not related to the individual’s needs
- Is likely to impose harm on the individual or others
Looking for more information?
With so much of the NDIS and what the NDIS covers in limbo at the moment, researching support services on your own can be overwhelming. Whether you’re seeking support for yourself or a family member, you could benefit from the assistance of a skilled and experienced support coordinator to help you navigate the NDIS.
The team at Space for Life offer a range of disability support services alongside support coordination and would be happy to talk things through. For more information, just get in touch.
